In a nutshell The authors aimed to determine the effects of taxanes when treating prostate cancer patients with hormone-resistant cancer. Some background Hormone therapy is a common prostate cancer treatment. It targets the male sex hormones active in prostate cancer, such as testosterone. Some patients may become hormone-resistant....
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Traditional Chinese medicine; the effects on breast cancer survival
In a nutshell The authors aimed to assess the effectiveness of traditional Chinese medicine used with conventional breast cancer treatments on breast cancer survival. Some background Traditional Chinese medicine is an alternative therapy that can complement breast cancer treatments. This generally includes various forms of herbal medicine,...
Read MoreHormone therapy; enabling surgery in post-menopausal breast cancer patients
In a nutshell The authors aimed to determine the long-term effects of hormone therapy to treat post-menopausal women with advanced breast cancer. Some background Hormone therapy is a form of breast cancer treatment. It targets cancer cells that may be affected by hormones. It is often administered prior to surgery in patients who are unfit to...
Read MoreIs a combination of capecitabine and irinotecan with bevacizumab effective?
In a nutshell This paper studied the effectiveness and safety of a capecitabine (Xeloda) plus irinotecan (Campto) chemotherapy regimen (XELIRI) with bevacizumab (Avastin) in previously untreated patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (cancer that has spread to other parts of the body). Some background Standard treatment for patients...
Read MoreIs the initial stage of cancer important in determining treatment?
In a nutshell This study examined whether staging of rectal cancer before starting treatment is important in local excision. Some background Local excision is a surgical procedure that treats cancer in the rectum (end part of the intestine) by removing the tumor and some surrounding tissue. It is suggested that staging of patients could...
Read MoreThe risks of developing a fever during chemotherapy
In a nutshell The authors aimed to determine the risk factors for patients developing a fever during chemotherapy for breast cancer. Some background Febrile neutropenia is the term that describes the development of a fever in a patient who has neutropenia; low levels of granulocytes (a type of white blood cell). This can often be caused by...
Read MoreCancer spread; do age and tumor type affect the risk?
In a nutshell The authors aimed to determine if there was a link between patient age, tumor type and the spread of cancer. Some background Breast cancer metastasis is the spread of the cancer to other parts of the body; following original cancer of the breast. Age at original diagnosis and the area affected by the tumor are just two of the...
Read MoreThe effects of chemotherapy on thyroid function
In a nutshell The authors aimed to assess whether chemotherapy has an impact on thyroid function. Some background The thyroid is an endocrine gland (tissue that releases hormones) found in the neck. It controls how quickly the body uses energy used in the body, how the body reacts to other hormones and makes proteins. Thyroid hormones can...
Read MoreColorectal cancer: can treatment affect female fertility?
In a nutshell This study investigated whether treatment for colorectal cancer (stage II and stage III) can affect female patients’ periods. Some background Stage II/III colorectal cancer indicates that the cancer has spread through the initial layers of the bowel or has invaded the lymph nodes or nearby organs, but has not spread to distant...
Read MoreChemotherapy-induced diarrhea in colorectal cancer: causes and current treatments
In a nutshell The authors discussed the causes of diarrhea and current treatment options for colorectal cancer patients with diarrhea. Some background Colorectal cancer is a very common cancer worldwide. Improvements in screening and medication over the past 20 years have improved diagnosis, patient outcome and survival. However, some of these...
Read MoreThe effect of chemotherapy on patient quality of life
In a nutshell The authors aimed to determine the impact of docetaxel on patient quality of life. Some background Metastatic cancer is cancer that has spread around the body from the primary tumor site. Docetaxel (Taxotere, Docecad) is a chemotherapy drug used to treat lung, prostate, breast, stomach and head/neck cancer by preventing cancer...
Read MoreIs intensity-modulated radiotherapy plus capecitabine safe and effective for treating locally advanced rectal cancer?
In a nutshell This study assessed the safety and efficacy of intensity-modulated radiotherapy plus capecitabine (Xeloda) before rectal surgery. Some background Locally advanced rectal cancer indicates that the cancer has spread beyond the lining of the rectum or has spread to the nearby lymph nodes. Patients with locally advanced rectal cancer are...
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